Sunday, September 30, 2012

Last night I watched a documentary on Hiroshima and Nagasaki...
Stories from survivors...
Riveting accounts from children who were spared...
Now in the Twilight of their aged lives...
Physical scars paling in comparison to the raw emotional wounds...
Tears flowed freely as the horror revealed itself...
70,000 people destroyed in Hiroshima...
Another 40,000 in Nagasaki...
Just as many painfully and irreparably injured...
The bright searing inferno of bright white light...
Vaporizing people where they stood...
So many, many, innocent children...
On their way to school...
With all the excitement of a new day and a whole life...
Erased in a horrific indiscriminate instant...
Dreams, hopes, laughter and innocence...
Turned into piles of carbon and stains on melted concrete...
Awash and adrift in the rising mushroom cloud and fiery smoke...
Only Man can create Hell on Earth...
And as the soft ash and rain slowly and gently fell back to Earth...
I found myself awash in the beautiful unrelenting Souls of children...
Cascading down on us all...
So I did the only thing I could do...
I prayed for the 110,000 Souls...
To forgive us all...
As I submit myself to wash away my Sins...
In the Heavenly rain full of children...

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Koa and I were fortunate to visit the new Hawaiian cultural center at Kamehameha Schools this evening. It is named Ka'iwakīloumoku...a reference to Kamehameha 'Ekahi. The 'iwa bird that hooks the islands together. It was very beautiful and full of ancestral spirits. Elliott was fortunate to sound the pū, the helmet shell, for the opening ceremony yesterday. He came home and excitedly told me about all the hōʻailona. The sudden heavy downpour, the winds, the quiet Sunshine...all the natural elements joining in the celebration as glorious signs of otherworldly approval...

I can’t really sleep right now,
so I’m listening to a myriad of music on my iTunes while images and thoughts
swirl in my higher consciousness. Enya’s Boadicea is playing now. Very
soothing. Boadicea was Queen of the British Iceni tribe around 60 AD. When the
King of the Iceni died, he left his Kingdom to his two daughters and the Roman
Emperor. His Will was ignored, his kingdom annexed, his mourning Queen flogged,
and his two daughters brutally raped.

The Roman Empire, the most
powerful force in the old World, was expanding all around Europe with their
legendary Roman Army. Queen Boadicea took up arms and led her people in a
revolt against the Roman Empire. Queen Boadicea relied upon divination,
releasing a hare from the folds of her dress and interpreting the direction it
fled while consulting the British Goddess of Victory, Andraste.

The Britons, led by the Queen, destroyed Camulodunum,
which is modern day Colchester. They routed an entire Roman legion and the
infantry was wiped out. Next,
Londinium (London) was burnt to the ground and next Verulamium (St. Albans). An
estimated 70,000 to 80,000 people died in the three cities according to some
accounts.

The Queen led her troops from
her chariot with her daughters by her side. Eventually, the Roman Empire sent
massive forces to wrestle their territories back from the Britons through
massive slaughter. The Queen reportedly took her own life. Don’t ever forget
the power of a single woman. Motivated by grief, outrage, and for want of
freedom. The fiery heart stoked by the fires of an undying love for family. You have been fairly warned...

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

I haven't been able to go out of the house much to take new photographs. I decided to take pictures of things in my house tonight. Always nice to know my spirit guides are always around and so willing to help me out...

Monday, September 24, 2012

Lately, I've been posting some heavy thoughts. So I decided to keep it simple. Joy. Pure unadulterated joy. Un-adult-erated joy. Like a child. Something I learned while in my hospital stay and near-death experience. A message from the Angels that we are the ones who make our own joy in this life. Life can be filled with joy. It is up to us. Oh no...here I go again...lol...

A beautiful friend, Bobby Ebanez, posted on Facebook about missing Dennis Pavao and put a link to a song of his. It brought back a beautiful memory of mine from 2007. I had fallen asleep while listening to songs on an iPod. I would periodically wake up throughout the night and listen to a song or two...and then drift back off to sleep. At some point, I was dreaming, and the dulcet-toned voice of Dennis came through singing the somber song, Ka Ipo Lei Manu, composed by Queen Kapi'olani for her husband, King David Kalakaua, as he left the islands never to return alive. It is somewhat prophetic.

Ka Ipo Lei Manu

I have a feeling of loveFor my cherished
sweetheart

My companion is a bird
Who dwells in the forest

The `i`iwi bird of the
uplands
Appears yellow in the
rain

The two of us
In the night of great
rain

The rain of Hanalei
I'm numb with the cold

I'm also cooled
In the cold misty rain

The hau of Ma`ihi
Swimming in the sea

The vegetation
Spreading out

The fragrance of the
hala
Is borne on the wind

Sweetly scented
Is the fragrance of the
rose

A sweetly recurring
thought
Urges my body to travel

I am made happyBy thoughts of your
arrival

Tell the refrainMy chief is gone forever

The story of this song comes from huapala.org as researched and tranlated by Lehua Kalima:

Source: Researched and translated by
Lehua Kalima - In Hawaiian poetry, the sweetheart is
personified as the `i`iwi bird. Julia Kapi`olani, the shy
and retiring widow of Chief Bennett Namakeha, was one of the
most beautiful women of her time and married High Chief
David Kâlakaua, Dec. 1863, who was elected king in
1874. A devout christian with high morals, her motto was
"Kulia I Ka Nu`u (Strive for the Highest)". Beloved by her
people, distinguished by her charitable deeds, two missions
close to her heart stood out: (1) she always raised money
for the leper settlement in Kalaupapa to improve their
living conditions, and (2) perpetuation of the Hawaiian
Race. She wanted to establish a hospital for underprivileged
Hawaiian women to have the best care for mothers and babies.

Attending Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebration, 1887, in
London, Kapiolani made many visits to hospitals and
foundling homes and returned to Hawaii with much enthusiam
and exciting plans for her hospital. She raised $8000 and
her most cherished dream was realized when Kapiolani
Maternity Home opened June 14, 1890, on the site of the
former home of Princess Kekaulike.

Queen Kapi`olani composed
this song for her husband after he left Hawaii for the
mainland aboard the Charleston, Nov, 1890. Under great
political stress, his doctors thought a change of climate
would benefit his failing health. He arrived in San
Francisco, Dec 4 and took up residence at the Palace Hotel.
He toured southern California and returned to San Francisco
the middle of January for medical attention. January 20,
1891, the King died at the Palace Hotel. His last words were
"Tell my people I tried". He never heard this haunting love
song. Copyright 1935, Miller Music Inc.

In my dream, I felt like I was in Heaven. The colors were so beautiful and bright and so much light was cascading down through the canopies of the trees all around me. There was a flight of stairs and at the top of the stairs, Dennis was singing and my Mother, who was still alive in 2007, and some other family members, were at the top of the stairs. It was so peaceful and bird song filled the air. I never felt so content and at peace before.

I woke up just as the song ended and struggled in the dark to figure out what had just happened as my eyes were filled with tears. Then another song started and I realized that I had my headphones on and it all was just a dream. It was a glimpse of Heaven. I have no doubt. Only recently have I heard direct messages from King David Kalakaua given to a beautiful gifted friend. He expressed that he did not die in San Francisco from illness. Rather he died from a broken heart. The feeling that he had so let down his beloved Hawaiian people. Queen Lili'uokalani also communicated that it is her desire to help restore the honor to her beloved brother as there are Native Hawaiians today who blame him for many things. Everyone is entitled to redemption. To truly love. To forgive. To find absolution. The greatest gift we can give each other. The greatest gift we can give ourselves. In this life. In the beyond...

Sunday, September 23, 2012

I was unable to go, or take photos of, the Aloha Festivals Parade, but my beautiful friend, Alice, took pictures and caught Elliott with his halau hula for Kamehameha Schools. Mahalo piha e Alice... : )

Thursday, September 20, 2012

This is the culminating dedication ceremony for the Kuhio Mini-Park in Waikiki that once was a blight with garbage, transients, drug dealing, prostitution, and other vices. The park, through a joint effort of Hawaiian cultural practitioners, adjacent residents, street artists, students, community policing, adjacent businesses, and other groups and individuals who gave of their time, energy, money or love, turned into a clean safe place of healing and reflection. Divinely inspired and guided by Ke Akua, na akua, na 'aumakua and kupuna i hala, including beloved Ali'i, many received the calling and descended upon this once sacred place.Waikīkī, or spouting waters, once was a favorite wahi pana of beloved Ali'i and rulers of O'ahu. So much degradation has occurred. It was a beautiful healing of this area, genuine requests for forgiveness, and the beautiful reunification of the life giving waters of Kāne and the beautiful surrounding ocean of Kanaloa. The mural painted all along the sides of the park by talented street artists and students, depicts the mo'olelo, or legend, of the Battle of the Owls, or the Legend of Kapo'i as it is also known. Kapo'i, who had taken a clutch of owl eggs while gathering pili grass, was confronted by an Owl as he was preparing to cook them for dinner. He ended up giving the eggs back and built a heiau, or temple, in Manoa, as instructed by the pueo. Later, the paramount Ali'i of O'ahu, Kakūhihewa, upon hearing of the unauthorized temple construction, sought Kapo'i's life. In the ensuing battle that occurred in Waikīkī, the "sky was darkened" as pueo from all islands descended upon Kakuhihewa's warriors and drove them back. Kakuhihewa acknowledged the power of the pueo and of the powerful Akua. After the park was blessed and ho'okupu presented, before the start of the project, many powerful visitations and ho'ailona occurred. After the ground was cleaned up, a variety of kalo sprouted from the ground and began thriving seemingly on its own. Its origins are unknown but the variety is a malahini kalo introduced sometime during Hawaiian history. It was a powerful ho'ailona for hope, promise, and regrowth in the area.Another powerful message arrived to a beautiful friend with 'ike papa lua, or second sight, from HRM King David Kalakaua. This resounding message also arrived to another gifted woman in the form of a melody for a song from our Ali'i and kupuna, and to another gifted woman in the form of lyrics. All three independently confirmed the messages and united in one voice.I asked permission to share the 'ike and mana'o of HRM King David Kalakaua as presented at the Dedication Ceremony:

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had
the gift of second sight. Though
when I was younger I didn’t always view it as a gift. It was later in life that I began to understand my role and
my purpose for being here. I’ve
been given many opportunities to help others because of my gift. Through meditation and prayer, I’ve
been blessed to offer comfort to others with answers, not of my own, but that
of a much more divine and spiritual nature.

In speaking to you this morning, I will
offer you the words from our beloved Ali’i, David Kalakaua who visited me at
the height of this journey. It is my sincerest belief that his message was not meant for only
my ears, but for everyone to hear.
For me, it is a blessing to be able to offer an alternative to conventional
understanding. A spiritual
perspective that is deeply rooted in my rich cultural heritage and often tied
to the voices and messages from our ancestors. Here is Kalakaua’s message…

"My niece, Ka'iulani was to be the hope (for
Hawaii). But she passed away so young. The keiki today as always,
are the hope of the future. Look to them, teach them, groom them, show
them wonder, and inspire them. Change comes from inspiration.
Without wonder we cease to exist. Ka'iulani had wonder, she had
dreams.

I was so angry at my brother in law for taking
her from us, from Hawaii. But in retrospect, it was good for her.
Good for her to see what else was out there, and to bring that knowledge
home.

As a child, she inspired me. She was always
full of life, full of wonder, so inquisitive, and always asking questions.
I regret not spending more time with her then. I sometimes viewed
her inquisitions as a nuisance, and I am so sorry for that. She was a
beautiful girl, beautiful from the inside out. As she grew older and
returned home, I watched her from my place above. I was so proud of her.
She was to be our hope. So many kanaka loved her, and revered her.
But just as many scorned her, because she was half. The disdain was
so strong. They felt that she did not carry the mana of a pure blood.
But what they did not understand, nor did even I at the time, was that
mana is drawn from our ancestors, great people who lived before us, no matter
who they are. But reverence and love come from within, it is personal.
It comes from our connection to our Creator. It's what drives the
mana. No matter who or where your koko (blood) is from, it is the love
and reverence that stems from the Creator that is the driving force. Mana
knows no color, it is the power within. It is our connection to Ke Akua
above, below, and within that matters and is the driving force of your
strength.

The kalo you see has the strength and resilience
of our ancestors. It is not a native species, but one that is a gift from
Ke Akua above just the same. To eradicate her would be a shame. To
condemn her for not being kanaka would be a travesty. Because despite her
lineage, she gives hope. She is a symbol of strength and forgiveness.
She is a symbol of tolerance and peace. With diversity there is
strength, there is creativity, there is inspiration, and there is hope.

When
I received this message, I was so humbled by his words. Stated so simply, was such a profound
wisdom and gift. We are all
children of the divine creator, no matter who we are, or where we come from. “Mana (or divine power) knows no color”
Love, forgiveness, and compassion are the keys to healing and peace. It’s how we choose to drive the Mana
that defines us, and this park is a testament to that.

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About Me

This Blog is ultimately for my boys. Lessons I've learned which I would like to share with them, but never seem to find the time. It reaffirms my beliefs and helps me sort out my own cluttered thoughts as I try to make sense of my life. Guided by Ke Akua (God) and my kupuna (ancestors), my Hawaiian identity provides me the framework. It is inspired by many people and loved ones in my life as I increasingly let my spirit interact with the spirits of others. Some I've known my whole life. Some I've met only recently. Some whom I will meet someday. Everyone is so truly beautiful. Life is incredibly beautiful. Love is definitely where it is at...